Ethics in Human Sciences (DP IB Theory of Knowledge): Revision Note

Ethics in human sciences

• Ethical choices affect what evidence can be collected and how strongly a knowledge claim can be justified

• Ethical rules can reduce harm, but they can also limit methods and make some conclusions less certain

• The purpose of the knowledge being acquired should be morally justifiable

• There are ethical considerations in the methods of gathering the knowledge

Human subjects and consent

• Human sciences use people as sources of evidence, so researchers have a duty to treat participants with respect

• Consent strengthens justification because participation is informed and voluntary

  • This reduces the risk that evidence was gained through pressure or deception

• Consent needs enough information to be meaningful, such as:

  • what the study involves

  • what data will be collected and how it will be used

  • the right to stop taking part

• Power differences can undermine consent

  • People may agree to please an authority figure or avoid negative consequences, e.g.:

    • A student agrees to an interview with a teacher-researcher

    • The student feels it is not really a free choice

    • The evidence becomes ethically questionable and may be less trustworthy

• Deception can sometimes produce more “natural” behaviour data, but it weakens ethical justification

• Researchers must weigh the value of the knowledge against the harm and loss of informed consent

Privacy and data protection

• Privacy matters because personal data can harm people if it is exposed or misused

  • This can change what participants are willing to share, affecting evidence quality

• Protecting identity can be difficult, even when names are removed, for example, if unusual details can make someone identifiable. This research could cause unintended harm and a loss of trust

• Data protection strengthens knowledge practices by setting clear limits, such as:

  • who can access the data

  • how long it is stored

  • how it is secured

• Privacy rules can reduce the amount of data collected

  • This can weaken how confident we can be in broad claims about a population

Social impact of research

• Research can change society by shaping policies, attitudes and how groups are described

  • This means knowledge claims are not neutral in their effects

• Findings can be taken out of context and treated as more certain than they are, e.g. a correlation is presented as “proof” or causation

• Research categories can create stigma

  • Labelling a group as “high risk” can affect how others treat them

• Researchers should consider who benefits and who may be harmed by their knowledge sharing

  • This affects whether the method and publication are ethically acceptable

Ethical dilemmas in interventions

• An intervention is when researchers try to change behaviour or outcomes (not just observe)

  • This increases the risk of harm but may produce stronger evidence about cause and effect

• Interventions raise a trade-off between potential benefits and participant rights

  • Stronger evidence can come at the cost of stress, unfairness or loss of choice

• Withholding help can be ethically difficult

  • Control groups may not receive a beneficial treatment during the study, e.g. one group gets a new support programme and another does not, e.g.:

    • The study gives clearer evidence about effectiveness

    • The design may be unfair if the support is likely to help

• Unintended effects can occur even with good intentions

  • An intervention may change behaviour in ways researchers did not predict

• Ethical judgment often depends on proportionality, i.e.,

  • how serious the risk is

  • how likely the benefit is

  • whether there are safer alternative methods